Listening Effort and Speech Perception Performance Using Different Facemasks

Autor/inn/en	Mendel, Lisa Lucks; Pousson, Monique A.; Shukla, Bhanu; Sander, Kara; Larson, Brooke
Titel	Listening Effort and Speech Perception Performance Using Different Facemasks
Quelle	In: Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 65 (2022), S.4354-4368 (15 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Mendel, Lisa Lucks)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1092-4388
Schlagwörter	Listening Skills; Auditory Perception; Acoustics; Hearing Impairments; Scores; Barriers + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Auditive Wahrnehmung; Akustische Wahrnehmung; Akustik; Hearing impairment; Hörbehinderung
Abstract	Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of eight different facemasks on speech perception and listening effort in listeners with normal hearing (NH) and hearing loss by manipulating both mask type and background noise levels. Method: Forty adults listened to Quick Speech-in-Noise Test sentences recorded by a female talker through eight different facemasks including a baseline condition with no mask. Listeners were tested in the sound field positioned 6 ft from the loudspeaker. Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) loss and listening effort were measured. Results: Listeners with NH exhibited a mild SNR loss, whereas those with hearing loss experienced a moderate SNR loss. Scores for the mild hearing loss group were significantly poorer (higher) than those with slight hearing loss. Speech perception performance was best in the no mask, KN95, and surgical mask conditions and poorest in the cloth mask and cloth mask plus face shield conditions for all groups. As listening effort decreased, speech perception increased for all groups. Conclusions: The impact of different types of facemasks on speech perception in noise was demonstrated in this study indicating that as the SNR was reduced, listening effort increased and speech perception performance decreased for listeners with NH and slight/mild hearing loss. No mask, KN95, and surgical masks had the least impact on performance, whereas cloth masks posed a significant detriment to communication. If communication is to occur in a background of noise while wearing masks, a KN95 mask and an SNR of at least +15 dB is recommended regardless of hearing status. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. 2200 Research Blvd #250, Rockville, MD 20850. Tel: 301-296-5700; Fax: 301-296-8580; e-mail: slhr@asha.org; Web site: http://jslhr.pubs.asha.org
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01